If the New Urbanism is going to change development patterns in a fundamental way, the keys will be codes and regional plans. These have the potential to change the land-use operating system, improving the outcomes long after the practitioners who create the codes and plans leave town. That’s the theory — so it’s nice to see the theory becoming a reality.
One example is Columbia Pike in Arlington County, Virginia. This three-mile long aging strip commercial corridor, terminating at the Pentagon, was underutilized with relatively low-density, automobile-oriented development. It was getting very little redevelopment, despite a strong real estate market in the region. A form-based code and plan adopted in 2003 had the potential to make Columbia Pike “a prototype and a case study for communities around the country to use,” according to Victor Dover, whose firm collaborated with Ferrell Madden Associates on the plan and code.
The code was an optional overlay, but the Columbia Pike code includes strong incentives — including faster approvals and reductions in parking requirements — that, if successful, could be a model for codes in other inner-ring suburban areas. The first project in accordance with the code was approved in 2004, but not much happened until two significant projects were approved in October (see item and illustration on page 17). With these two developments, including Penrose Square, which is illustrated in this issue, the code is beginning to have a significant impact on the corridor. Dramatic visual changes should soon be evident for all to see.
COUNTY PLAN HAS IMPACT
An even tougher environment for New Urbanism to take root — one that is near to my heart — is Upstate New York. It’s hard to introduce new planning ideas to a slow-growing region with aging infrastructure and population, however much such ideas are needed. But for one week in October 1999, Andres Duany put New Urbanism ideas front and center with the first Transect-based regional plan, the Settlement Plan for Onondaga County. He left behind a toolkit of ideas for the county — where Syracuse is located — including a model code, new urbanist plans for various conditions common in the county, and ideas to improve street design (see item on page 24).
The plan was slow to have an impact, partly because of a decentralized government structure with 35 municipalities, and the lack of direct land-use regulatory power on the part of the county, which sponsored the charrette. At the time, Duany noted the strengths of such a system — it allows for experimentation on the part of autonomous governmental organizations. Those words have turned out to be prophetic as the cumulative efforts of many villages and agencies in the county are beginning to transform the planning and land-use climate. The county, which incorporated the ideas but never formally adopted the plan, is expected to do so in 2007.
NEW URBANISM ALIVE AND WELL IN FLORIDA
No state has had more New Urbanism over a longer period of time than Florida, so it is interesting to see the direction of the trend as it matures. New Urbanism shows a remarkable range and diversity in that state, including upscale resort communities, new towns, HOPE VI public housing projects, other infill developments, regional plans, codes, downtown revitalizations, transit-oriented projects (which is difficult in Florida because public transit is lacking in many locations), and more.
A quick review of the projects in the Guidebook to New Urbanism in Florida 2005 reveals that about 60 percent of the 100 or so projects featured are urban infill or redevelopment projects. That’s a pretty impressive record, and should put to rest any lingering claims that the New Urbanism is mostly about new towns on greenfield sites. The latter are nothing to be ashamed of because improved development patterns in the suburbs are an important aspect of the new urbanist agenda. But there are many other facets to this trend that receive much more than lip service.
This article is available in the December 2006 issue of New Urban News, along with many more articles not available online. Subscribe or order the individual issue. |